haiti: three years later and breaking ground
It’s hard to believe that it was just three years ago that Kembe, Karis and I were in Haiti the day the earth shook. And today, I have great news to share: the school that was funded out of my trip with Help One Now BROKE GROUND TODAY. It seems so fitting that this momentous day takes place on the anniversary of the earthquake. Thank you to all of you who donated. I’m so excited about this project and about the impact it will have for the children in this village. . . .
let’s build a school in haiti for Christmas
Remember when I went to Haiti last month with Help One Now? It was such an amazing trip with a great group of people – a group of movers and shakers and dreamers. The trip was full of passionate talk about social justice and how we were going to change the world. And yes, the reality is that the dozen of us on that trip probably won’t change the whole entire world. But we found our “field” to work, so to speak. We had an amazing experience but all of us felt this nagging to do a bit more than . . .
kembe’s first visit to haiti
We’ve had an amazing time on our family cruise this week – I’ve got lots of stories to recount once we are home and unpacked. But I wanted to share about our day in Haiti. This was Kembe’s first visit back since he came home shortly after the earthquake, and our first trip as a complete family. It was surreal to return via a cruise ship since last week I visited with a Help One Now and saw some of the most impoverished conditions in Haiti. The little stretch of beach that Royal . . .
laughing to keep from crying
This has been an emotionally exhausting trip, and at times the heaviness has been overwhelming. It’s been nice to be on such a big team because they’ve provided quite the comic relief in the midst of some of the difficult things we’ve been seeing. I’ve always used sarcasm as a coping skill, and luckily for me this is a team full of like-minded people on that matter. There has been plenty of humor and laughter to bring some levity (and sanity) to the trip. And in the spirit of comic relief, . . .
the lack of a family is the greatest form of poverty
Today was our third day in Haiti. Over the past few days I've been feeling emotionally neutral . . . and even a little upbeat. It has surprised me, because I expected this trip to stir up a lot of negative feelings. We've seen some hard things, including people living in extreme poverty, but each individual story we've heard has been infused with hope for the future. I've even had some self-doubt because I have felt so stoic on this trip. I drove by the house where I was staying . . .
haiti: standing firm and looking forward
Today was my second day back in Haiti since the earthquake. Before leaving, I was having some pretty significant anxiety about returning. I am happy to report that since arriving in Haiti, I’ve been doing really well. There have been a few minor triggers, but for the most part I’m finding myself calm and able to be present with what we are doing at each moment. That has been a huge blessing. I was also worried that I was going to feel immediately distraught and discouraged, because I’ve heard . . .
my first trip, my last trip, and my next trip to haiti
The first time I went to Haiti, I was 16 years old. The wanderlust bug hit me early in life, and instead of asking for a car for my birthday, I begged my parents for a ticket to Port-Au-Prince. I had a dear friend who grew up there and I wanted to visit her and see the country for myself. My father happened to have a speaking engagement in another part of the country, so my parents scratched their heads and complied with my request. My father and I flew out together – a quick 2-hour flight from . . .
morning, interrupted
I woke up this morning to a phone call from Diane Sawyer's producer. An hour and a half later there was a film crew at my house. So. I guess we're on World News with Diane Sawyer tonight? I think it's at 6:30. [EDITED: NOT TONIGHT. LATER THIS WEEK] They are doing a follow-up to the orphans Diane visited right after the quake. (That would be Kembe in her arms. Can't express how that felt - seeing him on the news happy and playing with his friends the night I got home . . .
sean penn on cnn
I have to admit, I have been rolling my eyes at all of the news programs that have appointed Sean Penn as an expert on Haiti. But I will give him credit. He's still there, and he is righteously pissed with the bureaucratic nightmare and speaking out for the people of Haiti. I recognize the rage he exhibits in this interview - I think it represents the way so many of us feel who care for this country. It's hard not be enraged by the way aid is not getting where it is needed, . . .
haiti tees :: sneak peak
We've partnered up with some very talented designers to make some Haiti t-shirts, and I'm so excited with how they have turned out. We will be selling these as a fundraiser for our adoption and for Heartline Haiti. I'll give more details soon, but here are a few pictures. . . .